Since the beginning of the 1980s, ABB has produced well over 1.2 million vacuum interrupters to date, a high tech product in great demand worldwide. The product range currently comprises vacuum interrupters for circuit-breakers in the range from 12 to 40.5 kV with short-circuit breaking currents up to 63 kA, and interrupters for switch-disconnectors and contactors from 3.6 to 12 kV.
Embedding the vacuum interrupters in epoxy resin makes the pole parts of the circuit-breakers extremely robust and protects the interrupters from both impacts and external impairments such as dust deposits and moisture. In 1997 the innovative embedded pole technology was introduced. ABB currently produces embedded poles for rated voltages up to 36 kV, rated currents up to 3150 A and rated short-circuit breaking currents up to 50 kA. Also embedded poles for outdoor applications are available now.